Lemonade

Last thursday , I set out to make some home made lemonade. After several failed attempts in the past , I was a bit apprehensive , but decided to give it a go anyway. I think the problem that I had the last couple of times was with my recipe. It either tasted so sweet that even a chocolate deprived child would find it sickly , or so sour that upon consuming the drinker would look as though they had shoved a whole tub of toxic waste ( The sweets , not actual toxic waste !)) in their mouth and poured in some vinegar. However , this time it actually tasted ... nice? There was just the right amount of water , which in my opinion balanced out the lemon and sugar very nicely. This time I decided to combine a variety of recipes to make my own custom blend. Here it goes :

Sidenote : When I say cup , I mean the measurement and not just any old cup full !

Ingredients :

• 1 cup of sugar ( I used just plain granulated sugar. You can also cut it down to 3/4 of a cup if you want a healthier option , but bear in mind this will make the lemonade much more sour)
• 1 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice. This will require about 4-6 lemons , depending on their size and how persistant you are with your squeezing ! You may want to buy a few extra for presentation at the end.
• 1 cup of water ( for the syrup)
• 3 to 4 cups of  cold water to dilute ( Tap water , mineral water - it doesn't matter , as long as it's cold. If you want to make your lemonade slightly bubbly , try using carbonated/sparkling water. I haven't tried this , but I'm going to soon , and I'm sure it will be spectacular.)

Utensils :

• A lemon squeezer or juicer. If you don't already have one then they are relatively inexpensive and you could probably find one at your local supermarket for under a fiver. Alternatively , you could splash out on this this amazing squeezer from Alessi. I have adored their products ever since I saw them on the wall of my product design room at school two years ago. I feel I may be detracting from the topic
• A large pitcher or jug. This is to put the lemonade in. You could put it in straight in to seperate glasses , but it is easier to get the right ratios if you put it in a pitcher first , and then pour it in to glasses later.
• A small saucepan
• A measuring jug
• A wooden spoon
• An oven/hob
• A fridge

Method :

1. Firstly , you need to squeeze the lemons. Once you have made a sufficient amount of juice , then you can add it to the pitcher/jug
2. Secondly , make a simple syrup using 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. Heat the sugar and water in a small saucepan , gently stirring it with the spoon until all of the sugar has dissolved. Once it is done , add it to the lemon juice in the pitcher.
3. Next , add the cold water to dilute. I reccomend adding it very slowly and taking small taste testers after each bit of water is added. That way , you can make sure it is not too strong or too watery for your taste.
4. Then , leave the lemonade in a fridge for 30-45 minutes , until cold.
5. Finally , pour in to glasses and enjoy ! Serve with slices of lemon if you wish.

This recipe makes about 3-4 pints of lemonade depending on how much water you add. The amount of people it serves depends on your portion sizes , but I would estimate about 4-8 people would get a decent sized glass.

Have fun !

Peace , Love and Leather Satchels

Moosiah

♥ ♫ :)

☮

xxx